The present invention is directed to a neuropathy relief vacuum traction assist system and more specifically to an apparatus adapted to be mounted on the wrist for applying a negative pressure to the skin on the under side of the wrist to relieve the effects of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a very common and debilitating occupational illness affecting millions of people world wide. Carpal tunnel syndrome is the result of median nerve compression at the wrist. The carpal tunnel is a narrow channel that contains nine flexor tendons and the median nerve. The floor of the tunnel is formed by the concave-shaped carpal bones and the palmar wrist ligaments. The roof of the canal is formed by the transverse carpal ligament. The distal palmar wrist crease represents the level of the proximal border of the ligament. The thin antebrachial fascia blends with the thick transverse carpal ligament.
Median nerve compression in the carpal tunnel is caused by increased pressure in the carpal tunnel due to a discrepancy between the size of the canal and its contents. Normal pressure within the carpal tunnel is 2.5 mm Hg, increasing to approximately 30 mm Hg on full wrist flexion or extension. In patients with carpal tunnel syndrome, pressure is approximately 30 mm Hg within the tunnel and increases to 90 mm Hg on full wrist flexion or extension.
The pathogenesis of carpal tunnel syndrome can be related to anatomic, physiologic, pathologic and traumatic conditions. Anatomic structures include a thick ligament and a variety of congenital anomalies (persistent median artery, aberrant muscles). Conditions that alter fluid balance in the body may predispose one to carpal tunnel syndrome, as do tenosynovitis, osteoarthritis of the wrist and tumors. Occupational activities alone may not be causative but the condition is 15 times more prevalent in persons whose occupations place great physical demands on their hands, particularly repetitive wrist flexion and extension, intensive gripping and awkward wrist position. Malunion of a fracture of the distal radius can cause acute or delayed carpal tunnel syndrome. The most frequent symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are pain and paresthesias on the palmar aspect of the wrist and hand. The paresthesias are induced by activity, typically occur at night (a few hours after retiring), and are relieved by shaking or massaging the hand. Many patients complain that the hand feels "fat" or "swollen" and report that they feel weak and clumsy and that they drop objects. Strenuous or repetitive use of the hand such as grasping can aggravate the pain which may radiate to the wrist, elbow, forearm and shoulder.
In the past, the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome depended on the cause and severity of the condition. In mild compression, wrist splinting and changing habits may suffice. An example of a wrist splint for carpal tunnel syndrome treatment is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,417,645 granted May 23, 1995 to Roger D. Lemmen. Other types of devices for relieving the compression associated with carpal tunnel syndrome are disclosed in the U.S. patents to Davini (U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,137), Spitzer (U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,640), Sucher (U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,136) and Lair et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,466,215).